EXTRA STRENGTH U-BOARD

Abstract

A packaging container with a reinforced bottom and corners is a lamination of a container material alternating with a reinforcing material that is shaped to form a rigid unit of generally U-shaped cross-section having a main body portion with a generally flat bottom wall and upstanding, opposing sidewalls. The bottom and corners are reinforced with the reinforcing material to withstand additional stresses associated with dropping, bumping, scratching or general handling of packaging containers.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to an extra strength packaging container. More particularly, the present invention pertains to a packaging container formed from a rigid U-shaped material having a reinforced base and corners to withstand stresses associated with lifting, dropping, or general handling of packaging containers.

U-shaped packaging containers, or U-board, are known packaging material for many objects. The board is formed from a layered, or laminated, construction of paper and/or paper board that is subsequently formed into a U-shape (U-shaped cross-section). The board generally is rigid; that is, the walls are rigidly formed into the U-shape (transverse relative to the base) and are rigid longitudinally along the length of the channel. The walls do not fold down onto the base, nor can the board, without more, be folded length-wise onto itself.

U-board is used for a wide variety of commonly packaged items. U-board can be used to package long, fragile items to prevent creasing or other damage that may be caused by dropping, bumping or general handling of the package. To prevent such damage requires that the corner strength of the packaging container be durable and of good integrity. In a common use, U-board is used for packaging doors and windows to protect the edges and corners of these items from damage due to bumping, dropping or general handling. The sides of the U-board that extend beyond the corners may be used for advertising.

While U-board has been used with a great deal of success for packaging such items, it would be desirable to further strengthen U-boards, particularly with regard to the base and the corners, which are subject to the greatest stresses during handling.

Accordingly, there is a need for extra strength, reinforced U-board. Desirably, such reinforcement minimizes the amount of additional materials and cost needed to reinforce the unit. More desirably, reinforcement of the U-board is readily made and usable, and has a high degree of integrity.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A U-board packaging container having a reinforced base and corners is fashioned from alternating layers of paper and/or paper board material of varying widths or strips, and laminating the strips into a board. Narrow strips of material are disposed between wider strips of material such that the narrow strips of material serve as a reinforcing material. The narrow strips of reinforcing material may or may not be the same material as the wider strips of material.

The laminated board is shaped into a rigid unit of generally U-shaped cross-section, creating an extra-strength U-board, having a main body portion with a generally flat bottom wall and upstanding, opposing side walls.

In a preferred embodiment, the reinforcing material layer extends across the bottom wall and at least partially up the side walls of the U-board to cover fully the bottom wall of the internal channel as well as the radius of curvature of the corners of the internal channel.

The U-board may be foldable to form an internal base channel and opposing internal side channels to create a protective package for an associated item, such as a window or a door.

These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, in conjunction with the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The benefits and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the relevant art after reviewing the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the extra-strength U-board embodying the principles of the present invention, the U-board shown mounted to a door;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the extra-strength U-board;

FIG. 3 is a top view of a flattened extra-strength U-board;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the extra-strength U-board;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the extra-strength U-board in a flat state, prior to folding.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

While the present invention is susceptible of embodiment in various forms, there is shown in the drawings, and will hereinafter be described, a presently preferred embodiment with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiment illustrated.

It should be further understood that the title of this section of this specification, namely, “Detailed Description Of The Invention”, relates to a requirement of the United States Patent Office, and does not imply, nor should be inferred to limit the subject matter disclosed herein.

Referring now to the figures and in particular to FIG. 1, there is shown an extra-strength U-board packaging container 10. The extra-strength U-board 10 is configured to support and protect an object, such as door D. This is one typical use for U-board packing container 10.

As shown in FIG. 2, the U-board 10, although defined as having a generally U-shaped cross-section, is formed from a material having a channel-like or squared U-shape, with a flat or near-flat (e.g., planar) bottom wall 16 and straight (e.g., generally planar) upstanding side walls 18. The corners 20 are typically formed having a radius of curvature (i.e., rounded), however, the corners may be formed having relatively sharp angles. Nevertheless, for purposes of the present disclosure, the extra-strength U-board 10 is referred to as “U-shaped”.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the U-board 10 is formed in a layered construction (e.g., a lamination) of strips of material: reinforcing material 12 and container material 14. The materials 12 and 14 are preferably paper and/or paper board, but it is anticipated that other non-paper type material may be used. The laminations 12 and 14, are formed by using means known to those skilled in the art, and preferably by adhering layers together with an adhesive; however, alternative means to adhere the materials 12, 14 into a board 10 may be used. In a commonly used method, the laminations and adhesive are made in a wet environment (a wet adhesive), the walls 18 are then folded up from the base 16 and allowed to dry. The result is the rigid U-shape illustrated.

In manufacturing of an extra-strength U-board 10, one or more narrow strips of reinforcing material 12, is centered on the top of one or more strips of wider container material 14, of differing or of the same width, with an adhesive means placed between the two layers 12, 14. A strip or strips of container material 14 is centered on top of the previously laid narrower reinforcing strips 12. This alternating layered sequence is repeated until a sufficiently rigid board 10 is fashioned. Specifically, build-up of reinforcing material 12 in the center of the flattened board strengthens the bottom 16, bottom corners 20, and bottom edges 21 of the folded board 10. Reinforcing only the bottom wall 16 and the bottom corners 20 provides reinforcement only in the areas of the U-board likely to endure the greatest stresses in addition to reducing costs.

FIG. 3 shows a top view of an embodiment of the flattened, pre-folded extra-strength U-board, wherein the reinforcing material 12 extends along l₁₄ and entirely across the width W₁₄ of the bottom wall 16 and partially up the sidewalls 18 to enable reinforcement of the base 16 and corners 20 of the extra-strength U-board 10. In an alternate embodiment, while the length l₁₄ remains the same for the container material 14, the width of the container material 14 layers may differ.

Fold lines F illustrate where the flattened extra-strength U-board can be folded to produce the U-shaped channel 22. Prior to the adhesive of the board 10 setting, the board 10 is bent or folded along fold lines F as shown in FIG. 3, such that the board 10 is molded into a channel 22 in the shape of a “U,” with a base 16, sidewalls 18, and edges 21 as shown in FIG. 2. The molded board 10 dries to form a rigid, extra-strength U-board 10. A perspective view of FIG. 5 of the U-board 10 prior to folding is shown, illustrating plies of container material 14 alternating with plies of reinforcing material 12. It is understood that the layers of material 12, 14 can be sequenced in various ways, but that a preferred method sequences the materials 12, 14 such that the container material 14 forms the bottom and top layer of the flattened board 10. Fold lines F illustrate where the extra-strength U-board can be folded to produce the reinforced U-shape.

The extra-strength U-board 10 is rigid, and accordingly, the walls 16, 18 are rigidly formed into the U-shape (transverse relative to the bottom wall 16) and are rigid longitudinally along the length l₁₄ of the reinforced channel 22. In other words, the walls 18 do not fold down onto the bottom 16, nor can the reinforced channel 22 be readily folded, length-wise onto itself.

The extra-strength U-board 10 can be folded and positioned around the particular item D (as seen in FIG. 1) using mitered or straight cuts in the U-board or by other methods known in the art and the U-board 10 can be wrapped or strapped (as needed) to protect the item D, the item D sitting in the base channel 32, with its sides S protected by side channels 34.

It will be appreciated that while the board container material 14 is typically a paper or paperboard-based material, the reinforcing material 12 can be a paper or paperboard-based material, a polymeric material (such as high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low density polyethylene (LDPE) or the like), or any other suitable material that can be inserted between the container material 14 layers in the desired formation (e.g., wet adhesive) process to provide the enhanced strength. It will also be appreciated that the reinforcing material layers 12 can be formed from whole or non-perforated material, perforated material, mesh-like material and the like, the later two having open areas. The mesh-like material, having open areas, can facilitate bonding by allowing communication of adhesive between layers of material 12, 14 and around the reinforcing material layers 12.

All patents referred to herein are hereby incorporated by reference, whether or not specifically referred to within the text of this disclosure.

In the present disclosure, the words “a” or “an” are to be taken to include both the singular and the plural. Conversely, any reference to plural items shall, where appropriate, include the singular.

From the foregoing it will be observed that numerous modifications and variations can be effectuated without departing from the true spirit and scope of the novel concepts of the present invention. It is to be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific embodiments illustrated is intended or should be inferred. The disclosure is intended to cover by the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An extra strength U-board comprising:

a plurality of first strips having first widths; and

a plurality of second strips having a second width,

wherein each of the second strips is disposed in an alternating manner between the first strips, and wherein the first width of the first strips is different than the second width of the second strips.

2. The extra strength U-board of claim 1 wherein the second width of the second strips is less than the first widths of the first strips.

3. The extra strength U-board of claim 1 wherein the first strips are formed from a paper or paper-board material.

4. The extra strength U-board of claim 1 wherein the second strips are formed from a paper or paper-board material.

5. The extra strength U-board of claim 1 wherein the second strips are comprised of a non-paper or non-paper-board based material.

6. The extra strength U-board of claim 1 wherein the second strips are formed from a polymeric material.

7. The extra strength U-board of claim 1 wherein the second strips are centered within the first width of the first strips.

8. The extra strength U-board of claim 1 wherein the first strips and the second strips are laminated together.

9. The extra strength U-board of claim 8 wherein the laminated strips are folded to form a bottom wall, a first sidewall, and a second sidewall.

10. The extra strength U-board of claim 1 wherein the second strips are formed from a material having open areas.

11. The extra strength U-board of claim 10 wherein the second strips are formed from a mesh-like material.

12. An extra strength U-board comprising:

a bottom wall;

a first sidewall; and,

a second sidewall,

wherein the bottom wall is disposed between the first sidewall and the second sidewall, and the first sidewall and the second sidewall extend upwardly therefrom to form an integrated unit having a generally U-shaped cross-section,

and wherein the integrated unit is comprised of a plurality of first strips having a first width and a plurality of second strips having a second width, wherein each of the second strips is disposed in an alternating manner between each of the first strips, and wherein the first width of the first strips is different than the second widths of the second strips.

13. The extra strength U-board of claim 12 wherein the second strips extend across a width of the bottom wall and at least partially up the first sidewall and the second sidewall.

14. The extra strength U-board of claim 12 wherein the unit is folded to form a base channel and a first and a second side channel, wherein the base channel is disposed between the first and second channels, the first and second side channels extending upwardly therefrom.

15. A method for forming an extra strength U-board, comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of first strips having a first width;

providing a plurality of second strips having a second width;

layering the second strips between the first strips in an alternating manner;

substantially centering the second strips within the first width of the first strips; and

laminating the first strips and the second strips to form a board,

wherein the second width of the second strips is different from the first width of the first strips.

16. The method of forming an extra strength U-board of claim 15 further comprising the step of:

folding the board to form a unit with a generally U-shaped cross-section having a bottom wall, a first sidewall, and a second sidewall, wherein the bottom wall is disposed between the first sidewall and the second sidewall, and the first sidewall and the second sidewall extend upwardly therefrom.

17. The method of forming an extra-strength U-board of claim 16 further comprising the step of:

folding the board with the generally U-shaped cross-section to form a base channel and a first and a second side channel, wherein the base channel is disposed between the first and second channels, the first and second side channels extending upwardly therefrom.